Obstetrical stirrup.



mm WM L JONES.

OBSTETRICAL STIRRUP.

APPucmoN mao'oc'r. 25, 1915.

1 178,320. Patented. Apr. 4, 1916.

lwuamtoz flee 3 0/268 attozncg THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

LEE JONES, F SELMA, ALABAMA.

OBSTE-TRICAL STIRRUP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. a, 1916.

Application filed October 25, 1915. Serial No. 57,821.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, LEE Jonas, a citizen of the United States, residing at Selma, in the county of Dallas and State of Alabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Obstetrical Stirrups, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates the provision of a bedstead attachment in the nature of a support for women in child birth, and generally known as an obstetrical stirrup.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide a device of this character possessing a construction which permits of the device being quickly and easily attached to or removed from the bedstead as the occasion may require, and when in use it p rovides a firm support against which the patient may exert considerable force without disturbing its position upon the bedstead.

Another important object of the invention resides in the provision of a device of the above mentioned character, wherein the component parts may be arranged when not in use to provide a comparatively small article capable of being conveniently arranged within a midwifes hand grip or about the person of the owner of the device.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and in which Figure 1 is a view showing my invention applied to the bed. the latter being partly shown in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of my device. Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 1 is a detail view of the stirrup bar.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention herein illustrated, I make use of an elongated substantially rectangular plate 5, having an intermediate curved surface or recess 6 to permit the plate to adapt itself to the side rails A of the bed when the latter are of cylindrical formation as shown. However the plate is provided with a flat surface 7 which also permits the device to be used in connection with the side rails of different cross sectional configuration, it being manifest from the drawing that the plate is adapted to rest upon the upper side of the rail and secured thereto by means of a flexible element such as a chain 8. One

end of the plate is bifurcated as at 9, and arranged between the separated portions 10 defined by the said bifurcation is one of the intermediate links of the chain, and passed through the said link nd alined openings in the separated portions 10 is a pin 11 forming a connection between the chain and plate. One end of the chain is secured to an eye bolt 12 which latter is adapted to be passed through a vertical opening in the plate adjacent the end opposite that to which the chain is connected. The bolt is provided with a. threaded portion 18 with which a nut 14 is adjustably associated, and as the latter is turned by means of the handle 15 the bolt 12 is adjusted through the opening in the plate with a view of tightening the chain about the side rail of the bed for the purpose of effectively clamping the device thereon, or vice versa depending in what direction the nut is rotated on the bolt. It might here be stated that by reason of the flexibility of the chain the latter will assume the requisiteangular positions in its length around bedsteads of different cross sectional configurations, which fact together with its strength provides an effective clamp which will immovably support the device upon the bed in operative position and thereby qualify the device to withstand the great force exerted upon the same by the patient with positive assurance against any derangement. The pin 7 is removably associated with the plate so as to allow any length of the chain desired to be instantly associated with the plate.

The forward end of the plate is formed to provide a socket 16 adapted to receive a stud or post 17 depending from one end of the stirrup bar 18, the latter being formed with a shoulder 19 at its point of juncture with the stud 17, which shoulder is adapted to bear or rest upon the upper surface of the socket. The connection between the stirrup bar 18 and the plate 5 is such that the said bar may be adjusted laterally to different angular positions to the comfort of the patient, it of course being understood that two of these devices are to be used upon the one side rail in spaced relation to each other. The lowermost longitudinal edge of the bar 18 is provided with a plurality of spaced substantially V-shaped notches 20 adapted to support the stirrup 21 at a proper inclination with respect to the bar in the manner clearly illustrated in the drawing. The stirfor obvious reasons.

rup may be of any suitable construction and provided with an opening for the reception of the bar 18, whereby the stirrup is adjustable longitudinally upon the bar.

Rising from the plate 5 is a bracket 22 having associated therewith a ring 23, and adapted to be detachably connected with said ring in any suitable manner, preferably by means of a snap hook 24, is a flexible ele ment 25, which latter carries at its free end a hand grip 26. In use the patient lying upon her back crosswise of the bed grasps one of the hand grips 26 in each hand, and places her feet against the surface 21 subsequent to the proper adjustment of the stirrup bars 18 with relation to each other, and

the adjustment of the stirrup 21 with respect to the bar 18. The device then provides a firm support against which the patient can exert a great amount of pressure lVhen the device is not .in use, the stirrup 21 may be removed from the bar 18, and the latter either swung to one side of the plate 5 or wholly removed therefrom, and the various parts arranged to provide a comparatively small article which may be conveniently placed inia mid-wifes hand grip, and occupy but a small amount of space.

It is believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, but I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described as the same ismerely illustrative of one embodiment of the invention, and that various changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of the apjustment, a stirrup carried by said bar, and

a hand grip connected with said plate.

2. An obstetrical stirrup comprising a plate, means for clamping the plate to a bedstead comprising a flexible element adjustably connected in its length to one end of the plate, a bolt adjustably connected with said plate at a point in its length, said flexiblev element having one end connected with said bolt, means for adjusting said bolt, a stirrup bar associated with said plate, a stirrup carried by said bar, and a hand grip connected with said plate.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.-

LEE JONES. Witnesses:

WM. N. VARNON, H. MOFADDIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. i 

